Lisbon, Portugal, 10 July 2025 – The Ismaili Imamat and the Portuguese Association for the Protection of Diabetics (APDP) signed a protocol on 8 July formalising the donation of two retinographs for diabetic retinopathy screening and a surgical microscope for APDP's operating theatre.

The ceremony was attended by the Secretary of State for Health, Ana Povo, and the Diplomatic Representative of the Ismaili Imamat to Portugal, Nazim Ahmad.

This donation, valued at approximately 200,000 euros, will reinforce APDP’s capacity to fight diabetes-related blindness in Portugal. It is part of the celebrations marking APDP’s centenary – a significant milestone for the world’s oldest association of people with diabetes. For more than two decades, APDP has conducted diabetic retinopathy screenings in primary healthcare units, covering nearly 100,000 individuals with diabetes each year. With the new equipment, screening will be extended to additional municipalities across the country, and the operating theatre's surgical capacity will increase, benefiting over 1,200 users annually.

“I must extend a very, very special thank you to the Ismaili Imamat and to His Highness the Aga Khan for their invaluable contribution. I am well aware that the first surgical robot in the National Health Service came precisely from this donation. If today it is a reality that we have 10 robots across the country, back then, many years ago, this was the first robot,” said Secretary of State for Health, Ana Povo.

“Madam Secretary of State, allow me to reaffirm the commitment of the agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network to continue contributing to the improvement of quality of life, including in the field of health,” said the Diplomatic Representative of the Ismaili Imamat to Portugal, Nazim Ahmad.

Since establishing its Seat in Portugal in 2015, the Ismaili Imamat has collaborated closely with Portuguese institutions across multiple sectors. Through AKDN, it continues to implement economic, social, and cultural development programmes that promote inclusive progress and improve quality of life.